My new A3 story so far

So I've ordered a 2013 Audi a3 2.0 tdi s line with NAV ect...... Ordered it on the 4/1/13

first of all told delivery march 1st
then told delivery April 1st
then told last week in April!

so it arrived today, I wasn't there to accept delivery so my dad went to sign for it, he text me to say your car is here
ten minutes later he rings me and says I better come back as he is not signing for it!

so I go to the office and there's my new Audi a3 covered it salt and **** looks like its been rallying, and then my dad kindly points out a deep 5 p chip in the bonnet looks like its been screwdrivered, and a back to bare metal again chip on the door end where it's been opened and banged on something. Also the car has loads of swirl marks on it like Steve wonder was let loose with a power buffer to the paintwork. So it was rejected , sent back to be "fixed" by the local Audi dealer. I'm over the moon as you can imagine........

Oh my word, I can't believe they were prepared to hand it over in that state. I can imagine how you feel. I ordered mine mid Jan and I hope to get it in 3 to 4 weeks time. Gutted for you. Lets hope they sort it out and compensate you too.

Well, I asked for a courtesy car but the dealer which I'm not going to name (yet) , brushed it off....... Then quickly said they are going to push my car to the front of the queue and get it sorted by mid day Monday.......

im still not happy though as the dealer is 35 miles from my office, so it came with 35 miles on and now is doing a return trip so will have over a hundred miles on by the time I get It. Maybe it's just me but if you buying a £26,000 car you want it right , on time, clean, and not a single mark on it.

just to add, the same franchise delivered my fathers Maserati and range rover from different branches at different times but with so liar problems, interior marks and problems on Maserati and exterior scratches and dents on the range rover!

I'd threaten rejection of the car. Speak to the Business Manager as been suggested and say you want it replaced. They'll panic as you've already been registered as an owner.

To be honest, after calming down if they offered me a further substantial discount and repaired it to my satisfaction I'd roll with it. After all, someone could have hit you 15 minutes after taking delivery and it would have to be repaired. The extra discount would take the sting out of your depreciation. When you come to sell, no one will care that it's had a minor repair.

It all depends though on whether you could live with it or if it would always be on your mind.

It's on finance I'm not going to lie , and it seems to me since I paid the deposit nobody in the whole process cares since they have had my money.

I'm really not happy like I said, you can imagine put your self In this situation. From what I gathered they are not painting it but putting me a new door and bonnet on from stock car in their dealer range , as I sent it back 14:00 today, 45 mins back to them , they not open sat or sun and its going to be delivered back to me 12:30 Monday lunch........ Can't be painted in that short time impossible and if they try smart repair ( I'm a shot blaster and painter by trade, I will be able to tell) it will be going back!

Due to the short turnaround time I didn't pursue the courtesy car too much , I think I'm going soft lol

Have I missed something but I do not see how Audi can brush it off. Sure alot can happen in transport and to pin it on the dealer is difficult but surely they have a responsibility to ensure the end product (a brand new product) meets quality and trading standards. I would certainly expect compensation or further discounts for the work carried out and additional mileage being put on that vehicle. Alternatively, the Audi branch can order another NEW car and get it done right. The branch will need to take it up with Audi head office. I am sure Audi want to preserve their brand and reputation. Did you get photos/evidence of the state of the car? Did the Audi dealership come clean or did your father have to point it out to them? If it was the latter, that would really anger me. I would not accept it.

The swirls and dust can only be the dealers fault, caused by a bad YTS trainee washing it at the PDI. Other damage may be whilst it was in transit but for it to get as far as the customer then the dealer is entirely at fault.

Im not sure if I missed it, but was this bought direct from an Audi dealership or through another channel and therefore delivered to you in a different manner?

Sorry to hear about it though, it will no doubt work out fine but make sure you squeeze them for relevant compensation. Its not good enough when your spending that type of money, whether it be cash or finance.

Have I missed something but I do not see how Audi can brush it off. Sure alot can happen in transport and to pin it on the dealer is difficult but surely they have a responsibility to ensure the end product (a brand new product) meets quality and trading standards. I would certainly expect compensation or further discounts for the work carried out and additional mileage being put on that vehicle. Alternatively, the Audi branch can order another NEW car and get it done right. The branch will need to take it up with Audi head office. I am sure Audi want to preserve their brand and reputation. Did you get photos/evidence of the state of the car? Did the Audi dealership come clean or did your father have to point it out to them? If it was the latter, that would really anger me. I would not accept it.

Click to expand...

Im very very busy at the minute with work, I simply did not have the time to argue and I wasn't in the mood an I have a very short temper . The delivery driver to be fair couldn't apologise enough and he did wait nearly an hour for me to get back from site. The brush off bit was about giving me a courtesy car not the problems..... I unfortunately did not take photos which in hinesight was stupid on my behalf! And yes I must add my father , who only has one eye from an unfortunate car accident noticed the marks straight away and I'm not taking the piss either...... So how the dealership monkeys missed it I don't know...

The swirls and dust can only be the dealers fault, caused by a bad YTS trainee washing it at the PDI. Other damage may be whilst it was in transit but for it to get as far as the customer then the dealer is entirely at fault.

They're either incompetent or worse.

Click to expand...

i agree and to be honest again I'm shocked about it ...... It's really poor

Im not sure if I missed it, but was this bought direct from an Audi dealership or through another channel and therefore delivered to you in a different manner?

Sorry to hear about it though, it will no doubt work out fine but make sure you squeeze them for relevant compensation. Its not good enough when your spending that type of money, whether it be cash or finance.

Click to expand...

I have bought it through arlem finance / AUF( iirc they change their name over the years) who once ordered it is completely passed on to the dealer and out of the 15-20 cars and vans we have had through them over the few years there has NEVER been a problem. But the cars my dad bought through this national franchise dealer my car has came from , we have previously had problems with!

Sorry to hear about your issues with the new car .. I had similar problem with my old A3 (Used Approved) .. The whole driver side was repaired below standard and i was not informed about it when the sale happened .. I took it to my local dealer and had them estimate the for repair .. Then i contacted the dealer who sold me (AUDI SHREWSBURY) .. They were in denial until the car was sent back to be examined by their body shop .. They came back with oh we apologise and all that **** .. Gave me two options 1. they'll repair it to Audi standard or 2. Offer me a brand new car from their current stock .. Obviously i went for the second option .. If i was you id reject the car and ask for a new car .. Even on PCP there is 14 days cooling off period from the date you signed it .. Go down to the dealers and tell them to ****ing give you a new car ..

From someone who has rejected a car for poor prep in the past I will add..

1. you have to give the supplying company/dealer three attempts to correct the fault(s) before you can legally reject it - it doesn;t matter where you drove it out of the showroom or not (mine didn't move an inch ) although its easier if its not been driven to ascertain you are not in any way at fault
2. you have to put the rejection in writing - paper , NOT email - send to senior manager/dealer principal stating facts and rejection, make sure you send it signed for delivery by royal mail so you have evidence they received the letter
3. stay calm - its not easy (i was more than livid!) but it helps to keep things amicable in discussions.

As annoying as this type of incident is, bear in mind that cars can be repaired prior to sale - some even get repaired before the dealer gets them. I'd say Audi do more than most companies to protect cars in transit, but even the most careful of delivery drivers can't avoid a stone flying towards the car.

Good luck , hopefully all will be resolved on Monday to your satisfaction.
In your case it sounds like someone thought a bit of rallying was in order !

Sorry to hear about your issues with the new car .. I had similar problem with my old A3 (Used Approved) .. The whole driver side was repaired below standard and i was not informed about it when the sale happened .. I took it to my local dealer and had them estimate the for repair .. Then i contacted the dealer who sold me (AUDI SHREWSBURY) .. They were in denial until the car was sent back to be examined by their body shop .. They came back with oh we apologise and all that **** .. Gave me two options 1. they'll repair it to Audi standard or 2. Offer me a brand new car from their current stock .. Obviously i went for the second option .. If i was you id reject the car and ask for a new car .. Even on PCP there is 14 days cooling off period from the date you signed it .. Go down to the dealers and tell them to ****ing give you a new car ..

Sal

Click to expand...

i signed the order on the 4/1/13 it was a order as I was told there was basically a waiting list type scheme forming due to demand.

also as percymon said my dad who has had previous problems with this dealer said they do have 3 chances by law or statutory rights whatever it is to put it right. Only if it isn't to my satisfaction after their 3 fixing attempts then I can cancel!
All I can say is fingers crossed for Monday! I haven't even sat in it yet , yet alone drive it!

A few people have asked and a few have pm me.... I am not saying who the group is until I have the car in my possession and I'm happy with it. Then I will name the. Dealership group and their particular branch.

this is because of the google search button ..............highlights recent activity ect

i signed the order on the 4/1/13 it was a order as I was told there was basically a waiting list type scheme forming due to demand.

also as percymon said my dad who has had previous problems with this dealer said they do have 3 chances by law or statutory rights whatever it is to put it right. Only if it isn't to my satisfaction after their 3 fixing attempts then I can cancel!
All I can say is fingers crossed for Monday! I haven't even sat in it yet , yet alone drive it!

Sean

Click to expand...

Sean, you have been wrongly advised. Sale of goods act stipulates that goods should be free from "any" defects even minor ones. You do not have to give the dealer ZERO chances to correct the problems with your car! You are on the basis of what you have stated protected by the law of this land!.....your statutory rights as a consumer is to purchase goods that are fit for purpose and free from minor defects. The selling dealer is in breach of the law and so you are entitled to reject your car, rescind your order and request a refund if you so wish.

i know it's a major headache coupled with hassle and stress. However if I was parting with £26k of my hard earned cash on a brand new car, I would expect exactly that......A "brand new" car, not one that has been damaged repaired or had body panels swopped from one of the dealers demo's.

The ball is in your court and only you know what is acceptable to you!

Sean, you have been wrongly advised. Sale of goods act stipulates that goods should be free from "any" defects even minor ones. You do not have to give the dealer ZERO chances to correct the problems with your car! You are on the basis of what you have stated protected by the law of this land!.....your statutory rights as a consumer is to purchase goods that are fit for purpose and free from minor defects. The selling dealer is in breach of the law and so you are entitled to reject your car, rescind your order and request a refund if you so wish.

i know it's a major headache coupled with hassle and stress. However if I was parting with £26k of my hard earned cash on a brand new car, I would expect exactly that......A "brand new" car, not one that has been damaged repaired or had body panels swopped from one of the dealers demo's.

The ball is in your court and only you know what is acceptable to you!

Click to expand...

i suppose you are right, I'm just going by what others have told me. I think the 3 tries to repair to satisfactory standard is on the small print of the terms an conditions on the order agreement which was like 8 pages Long so I just signed the 2 bits I needed too :-s

I just don't want the headache of waiting another 4 months for a car that isn't that appealing to me now, without car again as I've now sold both my Leon cupra r and Mini Cooper s now only left with my 85bhp transit work van :-(

I think the 3 tries to repair to satisfactory standard is on the small print of the terms an conditions on the order agreement
Sean

Click to expand...

if what you are stating is correct the selling dealers legal department need to have their contracts of employment terminated!!.......what they are stating is unprofessional "mickey mouse" print and in breach of your statutory rights under British consumer law! Your signing of these documents would be void in any contract to purchase dispute!

i would seriously consider banging the selling dealers head of business door down tomorrow, seeking the option of perhaps a replacement vehicle from stock (complementary upgrade) or at the very least a very favourable compensation package. If it was me personally and based on your fathers expensive purchase experiences too, I would take my money and go elsewhere.

It's on my mind a3be , and has been since I turned the car away that " I have ordered a brand new car , and that's what I want!"
This isn't a car as is when left the factory, however; there are probably hundreds of cases of cars being painted or fixed or similar before even getting to the customer...... That most are unaware of?

i will update as soon as on Monday , and I would highly reccomend not using the franchise to anyone else when I name them.
I will be borrowing my mates 3m daylight torch things to check it when it arrives and his paint depth checker!

Honestly though would you want to wait another 4 months for a car that has almost completely lost its novelty?

It's on my mind a3be , and has been since I turned the car away that " I have ordered a brand new car , and that's what I want!"
This isn't a car as is when left the factory, however; there are probably hundreds of cases of cars being painted or fixed or similar before even getting to the customer...... That most are unaware of?

i will update as soon as on Monday , and I would highly reccomend not using the franchise to anyone else when I name them.
I will be borrowing my mates 3m daylight torch things to check it when it arrives and his paint depth checker!

Honestly though would you want to wait another 4 months for a car that has almost completely lost its novelty?

Sean

Click to expand...

Hi Sean, I really feel for u, not a good position to be in. You seem to be dealing with it in a pragmatic way. Good luck on Monday and am sure you will make the decision that is right for you.

It's on my mind a3be , and has been since I turned the car away that " I have ordered a brand new car , and that's what I want!"
This isn't a car as is when left the factory, however; there are probably hundreds of cases of cars being painted or fixed or similar before even getting to the customer...... That most are unaware of?

i will update as soon as on Monday , and I would highly reccomend not using the franchise to anyone else when I name them.
I will be borrowing my mates 3m daylight torch things to check it when it arrives and his paint depth checker!

Honestly though would you want to wait another 4 months for a car that has almost completely lost its novelty?

Sean

Click to expand...

Good luck with this. Personally I would probably be rejecting the car given what others have said. And I certainly wouldn't be going to the hassle of sun lights and paint depth checkers on a new car. I would be asking the dealer if the car has had any repair whatsoever - and if I found out later it had I would be straight back to have words with them. It's absolutely staggering what some dealers (and in particular Audi) seem to think that they can get away with.

=s33nyboy12;1858948]It's on my mind a3be , and has been since I turned the car away that " I have ordered a brand new car , and that's what I want!"
This isn't a car as is when left the factory, however; there are probably hundreds of cases of cars being painted or fixed or similar before even getting to the customer...... That most are unaware of?

Click to expand...

As an individual who has been actively employed in the motor industry for 30 years I will confirm that you are right in your assumption to some degree. However in my experience the German and Japanese brands fair a lot better than the british brands due to their superior engineering expertise, organisation, reputation and robust manufacturing processes, although sometimes things go wrong no matter how hard they try. Over the years I have owned a new car from most "bread and butter" car manufacturers you can think of. It was not until 1991 when I purchased my first premium motor car a BMW E46 323i (for which I was involved in the development of) I went on to own a further 3 beemers before I switched to Audi.....On my 3rd now and I have no regrets and will confess that of the 36 new motor cars I have owned the Audi brand stand head and shoulders above the rest in most departments.

I will be borrowing my mates 3m daylight torch things to check it when it arrives and his paint depth checker!

Click to expand...

Do not even waste your time and save yourself the embarassment......speak with the head of business and dont be intimidated ....tell them WHAT YOU WANT!

Honestly though would you want to wait another 4 months for a car that has almost completely lost its novelty?

Click to expand...

Who has confirmed you will have to wait 4 months? The dealer will have "build slots" in their allocation to reduce your wait to 6 weeks max!.....even less if you take a stock car (if available) If your new A3 has almost lost its novelty what Interest are you going to have with a car that is costing you x amount £££'s in repayments when you psychologically know what condition it was in prior to delivery?

Explore the options available and choose the best that you are happy to proceed with, but just remember you are in the driving seat and the law is on your side whatever choice you make.

Right guys , first of all thanks for the inputs , appreciate outsiders perspective was a help.

Secondly, its like they have read this thread, everything we have said and more almost is being done for me now. After a stern phone call and a couple of emails it's sorted and will all be done and dusted in 14 days ( fingers crossed) .

Audi have redeemed theirselves 2 a point in my eyes.........
I will explain more and upload pictures when everything is sorted, I will name the dealer when all done but not to shame them now but to say yeh they ****ed up but they have seen the errors in their ways and put them right in mY case!

I have a car a brand new Audi in my possession currently that's all that matters. alls well that ends well.

Very pleased for you Sean that Audi have rectified the situation and given you peace of mind. I certainly felt for you and the situation you were/are in, bearing in mind I am taking delivery of my sportback at the end of May/beginning of June and it could quite easily happen to me. Look forward to more details. Best wishes, Steve

So I've ordered a 2013 Audi a3 2.0 tdi s line with NAV ect...... Ordered it on the 4/1/13

first of all told delivery march 1st
then told delivery April 1st
then told last week in April!

so it arrived today, I wasn't there to accept delivery so my dad went to sign for it, he text me to say your car is here
ten minutes later he rings me and says I better come back as he is not signing for it!

so I go to the office and there's my new Audi a3 covered it salt and **** looks like its been rallying, and then my dad kindly points out a deep 5 p chip in the bonnet looks like its been screwdrivered, and a back to bare metal again chip on the door end where it's been opened and banged on something. Also the car has loads of swirl marks on it like Steve wonder was let loose with a power buffer to the paintwork. So it was rejected , sent back to be "fixed" by the local Audi dealer. I'm over the moon as you can imagine........

:-(

Sean

Click to expand...

Just read this thread.

After ordering a Brand new car, I'd not accept anything repaired by the dealer. This is a brand new car, and should be brand new. Why would you accept repair work to a brand new car?

Useful Searches

About US

Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.